Erica was walking along the corridor to the common room, she'd stayed a bit too long with the herd so she was alone in the corridor, something she never wanted to happen

"Oh, look who it is." She heard Max.

Erica sighed, was turning around even worth it at this point?

"Weasley." Max walked to her.

"What do you want, Max?" Erica asked him.

"Nothing." Max shrugged.

"Then why are you speaking to me?" Erica raised a brow.

"Because it's late, I'm a prefect, and you're out of bed." Max pushed her shoulder back.

"I'm surprised they even let you become one." Erica scoffed.

"Well, it just shows I'm better than you." Max shrugged.

"I don't see how being an a*shole is better than having genuine friends." Erica crossed her arms.

"I have genuine friends." Max nodded.

"They only listen to you because they're scared you'll hurt them." Erica shook her head.

"Then it's good that they're aware." Max smirked.

"I'm going to go, I can't deal with you." Erica sighed and turned to leave.

"I'm not done with you!" Max grabbed her shoulder.

Erica flinched and looked up at him,"Let me go."

"Or what? You'll go running to Potter and your other friends? What will they do?" Max scoffed.

"Not exactly but I could." Erica told him, trying to get his hand off her.

"Yeah, I'd like to see you try." Max nodded.

"You aren't so tough yourself, Max." Erica reminded him, gaining some courage,"You're just a coward."

"How am I a coward?" Max tilted his head.

"Don't think I don't see how easily you blame others for your own mistakes. Especially in potions, you're scared of him." Erica smirked.

"Who? Snape?" Max crossed his arms.

"Exactly." Erica nodded.

"..I'm not scared of Snape. He's a teacher." Max shrugged.

"I beg to differ." Erica shrugged.

"Well, your differing is wrong." Max walked off, pushing her back as he walked by her.

"A*shole." Erica muttered, walking towards the common room.

**

"So he just was there?" Parker asked Erica about the events of last night as she ate an apple.

"Yeah, it's fine though. He can't do much to me." Erica shrugged.

"If he messes with you still, let me know. I can help." Parker hummed.

"I will, don't worry." Erica assured her.

"Right, coming to Potions?" Parker asked.

"I'm not going to miss it, Snape would kill me." Erica nodded.

"Come on." Parker put the apple in the bin.

Erica stood up and walked down to the potions classroom with Parker. Once they sat down, Snape burst into class, dramatic as always.

"Do you think he plans this out, like his entrances?" Erica asked Parker quietly.

"Quite possibly." Parker nodded in reply.

"Alright, class. I presume you have done your homework?" Snape raised a brow.

The class was a mix of nodding and shaking of heads, a few mumbles. Erica nodded and took out two sheets of parchment. Snape came around and took the parchments from the students, giving a few a wack from his book who didn't do the homework.

Coming up to Erica and Parker, he took their's but turned to Erica,"See me after class, Miss Weasley."

"Alright?" Erica nodded, slightly confused.

Snape nodded before he walked off.

"What's that about?" Parker looked at Erica.

"No clue." Erica shrugged.

"You did it all, right?" Parker asked.

"Of course I did, every question." Erica answered.

"Weird." Parker muttered, "Want me to stay behind with you or wait outside?"

"No thanks." Erica shook her head,"It's probably nothing."

"Alright." Parker nodded before she lifted her quill.

After class, everyone began to leave, but Erica remembered what Snape had said. She walked up to his desk and waited for him to come out of his cupboard

Snape walked out and jumped, "Merlin's beard, Miss Weasley."

"Oh, sorry Professor." Erica apologized.

"You don't sneak up on people." He pointed.

"Well, I didn't really." Erica shrugged.

Snape sighed, "Have a seat."

Erica raised a brow,"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now sit." Snape sat down.

Erica quickly nodded and did as she was instructed.

"Now, what do you know about Mr Hart?" Snape raised a brow.

"Uh, he's a Hufflepuff prefect that doesn't like me?" Erica answered.

"Does he.. Do anything?" Snape asked.

"In what way do you mean?" Erica questioned.

"Hurt you?" Snape shrugged.

Erica froze for a second. She didn't know if she wanted to tell Snape so she shook her head.

Snape tilted his head, "..Are you scared of him, Miss Weasley?"

"Not at all." Erica answered again, dishonestly.

Snape just gave her a look, he could tell she was lying. Erica sat in the chair looking down at her hands.

"Answer me truthfully." Snape crossed his arms.

Erica sighed,"Fine, I'm scared of him and yes he... He hurts me."

"How?" Snape asked.

"Most of the time it's just words but sometimes he does... Hit me." Erica trailed off.

Snape nodded slowly, looking at her, "Why don't we do something about it?"

Erica tilted her head slightly,"What do you mean by that, sir?"

"I can do something about it. Tell him off.. Do anything you'd like." Snape offered.

"He'll just hurt me more if he knows I told you this." Erica shook her head,"I shouldn't have said anything.."

"Miss Weasley, I can make him stop." Snape sighed.

"He won't stop, sir. He hates me." Erica told him.

"Have you ever done anything to make him hate you?" Snape raised a brow.

"He blames me... For what happened with Cedric. No matter what I say, he's convinced I helped Harry get in the tournament." Erica explained.

"..Mr Diggory's death was an accident no one could've stopped."  Snape sighed.

"I know, that's what I've been told but he feels the need to blame me for things I can't control... Like what happened with Percy." Erica looked down.

"None of that was your fault." Snape nodded.

"It's just too much, I don't want to put up with it anymore." Erica sighed, she could feel the corners of her eyes stinging.

"..How about I have a chat with Mr Hart? Just myself and him." Snape suggested.

Erica paused and looked at her professor,"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Of course I am." Snape nodded.

"Well... Thank you." Erica smiled at him, a genuine smile.

"Alright, you can leave now. I have other students." He waved her off.

"Have a nice day, Professor Snape." Erica waved as she left the classroom.

**

Later on in the night, while Erica was walking back to the dorms, she heard footsteps. For a moment, she flinched, she was expecting Max to shout at her for telling Snape.

"I'm sorry, Erica." Max spoke from behind her.

Was he.. Was he really apologizing?

"You're... Sorry?" Erica gave him a look, was this a trick?

"Yes, I'm sorry." Max nodded slowly, crossing his arms.

Erica just stood there looking at him, she didn't know how to think.

"What?" Max rolled his eyes and stormed away.

Her eyes followed him down the corridor and stopped when he entered the common room. What was up with him? What did Snape say? Whatever it was, it must've worked. Erica sighed and walked towards the common room, tapped the rhythm on the barrels and... It didn't open. Hannah. She could go into the walls and go see her friends then sleep there until Hannah let's her back in. Yeah, she'd do that. Don't make a fuss, don't give her what she wants. Erica could hear laughter from inside the common room. Hannah celebrating. She clenched her fists, resisting the urge to break down the painting and smack her as she entered one of the secret passageways. She could hear everything going on around her as she passed all the rooms. Who should she go and see? Perhaps Neville, she hadn't really seen him today and she missed him. When Erica walked to the Gryffindor area, she heard Neville speaking. She leaned against the portrait to try and hear what he was saying.

"Do any of you guys know where my watering can is?" Neville asked.

"No clue, buddy." Dean shook his head.

"Darn it." Neville cursed and walked out of the dorm, looking around before he came upon a painting that was open; slowly walking in it and closing the portrait behind him.

Erica walked down an opening from the bedroom to the joining corridor where she spotted Neville.

"Erica?" Neville raised a brow once he seen her.

"That's me." Erica nodded,"I've been locked out of the common room."

"I'm sorry." He nodded, looking around, "What is this place?"

"Hidden passageways." Erica shrugged,"How did you think I got around do quickly?"

"I always did wonder that." Neville smiled softly.

Erica smiled back before remembering something,"Oh, I actually found something."

"What?" Neville tilted his head.

"This!" Erica revealed a watering can from behind her back.

"Where was it?" Neville chuckled and took it from her.

"I found it in one of the passageways, the twins probably hid it." Erica shrugged.

"Oh god." Neville sighed and rubbed his face.

"Well, you have it back now." Erica smiled.

"Thank you." Neville put it on the ground.

Erica then looked around, she didn't really know what to say next.

"You're the best." Neville smiled.

"Heh, I know." Erica told him, she acted cool though she could feel her cheeks start to flush.

"Is there any place cool in here?" Neville looked around.

"I mean, I could take you to the coolest places if you want." Erica offered him.

"Please." Neville nodded.

"Then let's go." Erica grabbed his wrist and began to lead him to another section of the passageways.

Neville hummed and followed her.

Erica lead him down a corridor,"It's not necessarily cool but this one leads to Draco Malfoy's room.

"Malfoy's?" Neville quickly looked in.

"The very same." Erica nodded.

"Is he in?" Neville looked around.

"Yeah but he's sleeping." Erica told him before thinking,"Gimme a second."

"What are you going to do?" Neville looked back at her.

"You'll see." Erica smirked, jumping into Draco's room.

"Erica!" Neville whispered.

Erica took out her wand and aimed it at Draco's sheets,"Inflamato."

"Oh my- Erica, you're going to get us killed." Neville held his head.

Once she saw the flames appear, she quickly jumped back into the portrait,"Not if he doesn't catch me."

"He'll know it's you." Neville pointed.

"Eh, who cares?" Erica shrugged.

"I don't want you getting hurt by him again." Neville sighed.

"What can ferret boy do?" Erica asked him.

"Hurt you." Neville shrugged.

"I can hurt him." Erica reminded him.

Neville smiled, "What else is there?"

"I'm not sure." Erica paused,"Oh, there's the secret garden!"

"There is?" Neville looked at her before they heard Draco scream.

"Oh look, time to go." Erica began dragging him to the secret garden.

Neville looked around as they walked, taking in the scenery. Erica then burst through a moss covered portrait to a mysterious looking area. It was overgrown and full of various plants.

Neville looked at all the plants, "Oh, you poor things."

"I found it yesterday, I don't think anyone's been looking after them in a while." Erica leaned against a wall.

"Could I look after them?" Neville gently felt the plants.

"Of course you can." Erica nodded, she loved how enthusiastic he was about plants.

"Good thing I got my can." Neville hummed and began watering them.

Erica watched him from a distance, a smile clear on her face. All she could think was 'I don't deserve this boy'.